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GOLD SAVING APPARATUS. 'No. 307,174. atented Oct. 28, 1884..

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UNrr D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY N. BROWN AND ORRIN FIELD, OF BYRON, CALIFORNIA.

GOLD-SAVING APPARATUS.

EPECIFICATIQN forming'part of Letters Patent No. 807,174, dated October28, 1884.

Application filed July :21, 1884. (No modcLl '[0 all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that we, HENRY N. BROWN and ORRIN FIELD, of the city ofByron, in the county of Contra Costa and State of California, haveinvented an Improvement in Gold-Saving Apparatus; and we hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates to an apparatus for amalgamating gold and otherprecious or valuable metals; and it consists of a series of inclinedclosed boxes, the lower end of the first being connected with averticalchute or feedpipe, through which the material is delivered, and itsupper end with the foot of the next inclined one, and so on to thedischarge end.

It also consists in a means for making tight joints at the edges, andalso for adjusting a space between the top and bottom of this sluice,and in certain details of construction, all of which will be more fullydescribed by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof our invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of our apparatus. Fig.2 is a longitudinal vertical section of our apparatus. Fig. 3 is atransverse vertical section on the line 3 y, Fig. 2.

A is a chute or hopper of considerable height, into which the materialto be treated is placed. This material will be a pulp of sufficientsubstance to flow readily. V

B B B are a series of inclined chutes or boxes closed at the top,bottom, and sides, so as to make a passage within them which may belined upon one or more sides with amalgamated plates for the purpose ofdetaining any amalgam, quick silver, or precious metal which may passover them. The upper end of the first inclined chamber is connected'withthe foot of the next by a nearly or quite vertical passage, 0, so thatthe material or pulp, after flowing up the first pas'sage,'drops downthis passage 0, and then from the foot of the second chute it passes tothe upper end, dropping again through another vertical passage O, andpassing up the third chute in the same manner, and so on until it mayhave passed over as many amalgamating-plates as may be considerednecessary for the purpose of separating all the gold or precious metalfrom the worthless material. In the bottom of each of the chutes isplaced ainercury bath, (designated by G,) through which the pulp isforced, and in the inclined side of the first chute is let a window orlight, H, through which the churning of the quicksilver may be observed,thus indicating and consequently enabling us to regulate the force ofthe flow of the pulp. A wator-pipe, I, is let into the end of thefeed-chute A,-in order to supply any additional necessary water and toregulate the flow.

In order to provide an adjustment by which the depth of the passage maybe varied to suit circumstances, the upper or covering plate fits downbetween the two side boards of the chute,

and rests upon elastic strips D, which extend along the sides raisedupon the bottom plate. Clamps E pass around the chutes, the upperportion forming staples which pass through the transverse bar below, andhave nuts by which they may be pressed down, thus pressing upon the topboard or plate of the chute and forcing it down, pressing the rubberstrip so as to at the same time form a perfectly tight joint and allowof the adjustment before described. This adjustment enables us to makethe passage larger or smaller to accommodate the pulp or material whichmay be flowing through, and to relieve it if there isany tendency toclog or choke.

Having thus described our invention,what' we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A hydraulic sluice for saving precious or valuable metals, consistingof a series of closed chambers or passages, inclining upward from theirreceiving to their. discharge ends, and provided with adjustablecovering-plates, and each of the passages being connected with thereceiving end of the subsequent one by a closed vertical passage, asherein described.

2. A hydraulic sluice for saving precious metals, consisting of a seriesof closed chambers or passages inclining upward from their re ceiving totheir discharge ends, and provided with adjustable covering-plates andwindows, each of the passages being connected with the receiving end ofthe subsequent one by a closed vertical passage, at the bottomv of whichis a mercurybath, through which the pulp is forced, as herein described.

3. A device for saving precious or valuable metals, consisting of aseries of inclined closed chutes or chambers, and provided withadjustable covering-plates and windows,with an in terior lining ofinclined amalgam plates or surfaces, the discharge end of each chutebeing connected with the receiving end of the following one, togetherwith a feed chute or passage connecting the first chamber, substantiallyas herein described.

4. An apparatus for saving Valuable or precious metals, consisting of aseries of connected inclined chutes having the interior surface providedwith amalgam plates, avertical moving top plate resting upon elasticstrips upon each side, together with the clamps or yokes by which it isheld and adjusted, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

HENRY N. BROVN. ORRIN FIELD.

\Vitnesses:

GEORGE TALLEKSAR, MARION PRESTON.

